© Sean Ahlquist, University of Michigan

This article was originally published on Autodesk’s Redshift publication as “Architecture for Autism Could Be a Breakthrough for Kids With ASD.”

Good architects have always designed with tactile sensations in mind, from the rich wood grain on a bannister, to the thick, shaggy carpet at a daycare center. It’s an effective way to engage all the senses, connecting the eye, hand, and mind in ways that create richer environments.

But one architecture professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is working on a tactile architecture-for-autism environment that does much more than offer visitors a pleasing and diverse haptic experience: It’s a form of therapy for kids like 7-year-old daughter Ara, who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Social Sensory Architectures, an ongoing research project led by Sean Ahlquist, creates therapeutic structures for children with ASD. One prototype, the sensoryPLAYSCAPE, is a tent-like pavilion made of tensile fabric stretched over rods to create an immersive environment. Responding to touch, sounds are triggered, and 2D imagery is projected onto the fabric’s surface, as if on a screen. This visually demonstrates the connection between motor skills and auditory and visual feedback, helping children with autism adjust the amounts of force appropriate to apply at a given movement—a common issue among those on the autism spectrum.

As a PhD researcher at The Institute for Computational Design (a hub at the University of Stuttgart for research in lightweight architectural materials, where Frei Otto founded the Institute for Lightweight Structures), Ahlquist focused on pre-stressed tensile structures. When he came to Michigan in 2012, he continued his research using a CNC knitting machine, which gave him the ability to create his own textiles. The more he researched different kinds of light, tactile materials, the more he noticed something odd about how people interact with them once they’re fitted together into a structure.

A piece of fabric is a thing to be touched; a fabric structure is to be experienced from a distance. “The structures we were developing had a really intimate quality to them, but in terms of the architecture, the second you build it into a quote-unquote ‘architectural system,’ the materiality quickly becomes a passive backdrop,” he says. “It becomes a thing that goes around you, as opposed to the thing that you actually engage.”

© Sean Ahlquist, University of Michigan

Ahlquist wondered if he could bridge this sensory gap. Could he make an immersive space that encourages direct tactile interaction? His daughter’s autism muted her senses, making her crave “really strong tactile feedback,” he says, but her motor-control skills were underdeveloped. Social Sensory Architectures connect these motors skills to visual and auditory feedback in an all-encompassing, whirling web of parabolas and spirals. If she’s not intuitively aware of how hard she’s pressing on something, the visual and auditory cues clue her in.

Social Sensory Architectures (which won the Speculative and Prototyping Category in in SXSW’s Place by Design competition) relies on architecture’s unique ability to work on multiple senses at once—and as such, it’s required a diverse project team to bind all these elements together. Ahlquist worked with computer scientists on the software, as well as experts in music, autism therapy, psychiatry, and kinesiology. Soon they’ll begin a series of pilot studies, starting with samples of four to five kids.

The team’s working hypothesis: “If we can improve motor skills, there is a correlation to creating opportunities for social interaction,” Ahlquist says. For kids on the autistic spectrum, observing and appropriately responding to social cues is often a challenge. He hopes his work can help kids with ASD better network their own senses and, subsequently, improve social relationships with each other.

For example, some of the visual responses that the structures can produce can only happen when two kids synchronize their interactions with the textile surfaces. And the child-size tunnels and cones in the pavilion beg for helpful dads like Ahlquist to pick up kids and let them slide through. These interactive moments form “circles of communication”—a term learned through collaboration with the PLAY Project—which are especially critical when kids are otherwise nonverbal, like Ara.

© Gregory Wendt/Sean Ahlquist, University of Michigan

The fabric in Social Sensory Architectures is given shape by flexible glass fiber–reinforced polymer rods. A Microsoft Kinect sensor detects when the surface of the fabric is stretched in gradients, from a hard to a soft touch, and feeds this information through software developed by Ahlquist and his team. The Kinect is housed in a hardware tower (with a computer, speakers, and a projector) a few feet from the pavilion.

It works a bit like a “textile iPad interface,” Ahlquist says. One software program for the pavilion surrounds children with a swarm of fish—each with their own signature wind-chime theme—that scatters with a light touch, but is attracted to stronger, continuous pressure. Another program, developed for the 2D screen, lets kids paint in colors that range from light to dark depending on the force exerted. (A delicate swipe makes a yellow mark; a hearty punch generates red).

The 2D screen is currently installed at Ara’s autism therapy center, where she works on fine-tuning motor skills through sequential tasks, like stacking blocks. When kids with autism lose patience for tasks like these, they recharge in sensory rooms that—like Ahlquist’s project—feature lots of kinesthetic and sensory impressions.

Ahlquist wants his project to break down the barrier between task-like therapeutic activities and fun sensory room play. “If both of those two things are needed, wouldn’t it be better if we could actually merge both of them together and minimize the task-oriented nature of developing whatever skill they’re trying to develop?” he says.

© Sean Ahlquist, University of Michigan

In today’s world, immersing oneself in multisensory media screens isn’t usually seen as a recipe for developing skills. Psychologists often warn that the digital interfaces bombarding children’s ears and eyes are overstimulating—keeping them from sleeping at night and shredding their attention spans. But for Ahlquist, the connection to movement and motor skills differentiates these multisensory screen-based environments.

The visual and auditory stimuli that might mindlessly hypnotize on a smartphone screen works on a much more holistic level in sensory architecture. “We’re teaching to the whole body,” Ahlquist says, “instead of teaching to the head. The experience becomes dynamic and engaging, rather than repetitive and engrossing.”

Architecture is one of the few design mediums that requires full physical interaction. Creating responsive, sensory environments like these—physical spaces that support increased mind-body connection, help develop skills, and expand social interaction—could be a powerful tool in the treatment of autism.

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© Andrés Otero/LUZphoto

• Architects: Westway Architects
• Location: Milan, Italy
• Area: 168.0 m2
• Project Year: 2013
• Photographs: Andrés Otero/LUZphoto

• Collaboration: Stefano Pavia

• Architectural Design And Art Direction: Westway Architects, Rome – Milan
• Project Team: Luca Aureggi, Maurizio Condoluci, Stefano Pavia
• Outdoor Area: 60 m2

© Andrés Otero/LUZphoto

From the architect. From the outside, it looks like one of the typical housing blocks built for railway workers in Milan between 1920 and 1924. Inside, the building has undergone radical renovation which, in two years of construction, has transformed it from both a structural and distribution point of view. Only the building enclosure, with its relative openings, has been maintained, while everything else — foundations, roof, attics, internal insulation, systems, and internal distribution — has been created from scratch. The total volume has remained the same, while the floor area has been increased by 60 m2, thanks to the new placement of the floor slabs, staircases and reclamation of the attic.

© Andrés Otero/LUZphoto

From social housing to a city villa with private garden, in a 1920s village in the Città Studi district of Milan. From a large family residence to a bachelor pad, redesigned to meet his specific needs, using a sophisticated home automation system, and according to Class B CENED energy certification standards.

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“The vertical form of the dwelling gave us the chance to make one of our dreams as architects come true: one of the staircase systems of Escher’s impossible constructions. The client allowed himself to be captivated by this dream! We emptied the interior so that the space could be expanded horizontally and vertically and we created a structurally autonomous central core cut off from the existing historical context. This stretches over the five floors, each one served by two separate staircases positioned along the longitudinal load-bearing walls”, explains Luca Aureggi. The single-flight staircases are narrow (80 cm) and enable a connection from the cellar to the fourth floor (fitness area, dining and kitchen area, living room, bedroom, study) — not continuously, but alternately. It’s a zig-zag route involving the crossing of the individual floors, which are devoid of partitions (open space). “The home is designed as a vertical loft featuring a mandatory route, where getting lost and finding oneself becomes a game. The resulting sense of bewilderment magnifies the perception of the space”. L.A.

© Andrés Otero/LUZphoto

All the materials used contribute to creating a fluid space stretching all the way to the terrace and garden. The relationship with the outdoors is favoured by these green projections that contextualize the building within the convivial “rustic” reality surrounding it, which is very atypical for a big city. It’s like finding oneself inside a hortus conclusus with a vibe of Palermo — the owner’s hometown.

© Andrés Otero/LUZphoto

From the front door, one finds himself catapulted into the long perspective of the dining and kitchen area that overlooks the garden. This is the beginning of a vertical ascent via the various staircases squeezed between the longitudinal load-bearing walls and the central core structure. The small size of the flights is balanced by the width of the landing — a part of the floor one must pass through to access the subsequent flight of stairs. The ascent continues all the way to the study area created in what was formerly the attic. Nothing hinders an upwards run or descent towards the fitness area. The few pieces of mostly vintage furniture are limited in height and there are no doors or wardrobes. Floors and staircases form a single structural and material entity, all clad in the same wooden slats. It is, however, the many custom details, the choice of ad hoc materials and finishes, and the continuous quest to broaden the space in 3D that makes this 200-square-metre house great.

© Andrés Otero/LUZphoto

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© AL.MA Fotografia

• Architects: A2OFFICE
• Location: 4465 Leça do Balio, Portugal
• Authors: Alberto Dias Ribeiro
• Area: 300.0 m2
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: AL.MA Fotografia , Cortesia de A2OFFICE

• Collaborators: Alexandra Marques, Patrícia Valentim

© AL.MA Fotografia

KuantoKusta wanted to install their headquarters in an old industrial warehouse that, although degraded, had very interesting conditions: high ceilings and natural light at both ends of the warehouse. However we observed a problem: the company needs pointed to an area about twice the existing one. The solution passed through the creation of a second high floor, taking advantage of the free interior volume.

© AL.MA Fotografia

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The new floor is independent of the surrounding structure: the floor rests on pillars organized according to a rigid mesh that organizes the different spaces on the ground floor. It was used a metal structure for allowing speedier performance lighter structural elements.

© AL.MA Fotografia

It was intended to translate this autonomy between the old and the new by applying the white color in the existing walls and ceilings and the gray color in the new elements, within an environment that was intended to keep with unapologetically industrial, sometimes even rude, as in the case of brick masonry wall that was only painted. 

© AL.MA Fotografia

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Even the new elements were designed as independent pieces, like as if they were containers, predicting a possibility of mutability of space in the future, where the permanent elements will be only the skeletal structure.

© AL.MA Fotografia

© AL.MA Fotografia

The program was distributed by two floors focusing on the top floor all the technical and operational team of the company in a large open space, which benefits from natural light coming from the ceiling. In the background, a glass box located the direction and business rooms and both have a translucent roof so they can also receive natural light from the ceiling during the day. On the ground floor, in addition to public access areas, such as the lobby and meeting room, it was located a locker area next to a door that makes screen for the living space of the company’s employees. There is located a recreational area with billiards and game console, sanitary facilities, a kitchen space and an eating area.

© AL.MA Fotografia

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© Shao Feng

• Architects: X+Living
• Location: Hangzhou, China
• Design Director: Li Xiang
• Design Team: Liu Huan, Ren Li-Jiao, Jia Yuan-Yuan
• Area: 1850.0 m2
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Shao Feng

© Shao Feng

From the architect. JOOOS Fitting Room integrates the Top 100 fashion brands in the sales list of Tmall, and selects 4 most representative collections through buyers: Mori Girl Collection, Celebrity Collection, OL Collection and Fashionable Girl Collection. The store hopes to make up the sense of emptiness of fitting brought by modern online shopping.

© Shao Feng

Clothes, as the unique fruit of human’s labor, it is not only the representation and product of material civilization, but also has profound meaning in spiritual culture. The evolution history of clothes, in some sense, is also an emotionalized development history of human culture. From the date clothes occurred, people have already integrated their life custom, aesthetic taste, color preference, cultural attitudes and religion believes into it, and the spirit connotation of clothes culture is thus built.

© Shao Feng

Human society had undergone a period of ignorance during which they were naturally raised, using animal skins and cotton and linen to wrap their bodies. And then it developed into the unprecedented prosperous hand knitting industry era, afterwards, the modern, fast paced civilization era and finally the future world which places more emphasis on individual charm.  We hope every customer who enters into these spaces would “get something”, or even get involved into it. The designer extracted an inspiration element form the changes of times to create clothes shopping experiences which fascinate all girls.

© Shao Feng

Hangzhou JOOOS Fitting Room is located at the door of the ground floor of the Commercial Street Phase II on Xingguang Avenue. An eye-catching screen is placed at the main entrance, every customer could make interaction s with it through internet. This is the most distinctive feature of JOOOS Fitting Room- building offline fitting experience in the internet age through ubiquitous screens.

© Shao Feng

Get through the large arch in the main entrance and you will be in Mori Girl Area. Milky white textured walls and white floor create a clean and white space. Bamboo poles are set up and hemp rope is used to connect them, clothes racks are thus formed. The mirror is hidden in the facade of angle formed by two bamboo poles. The space is bright and concise, primitive and simple materials are used to echo with the temperament of this type of clothes in this space.

© Shao Feng

Celebrity Collection Area – many delicate golden cages are designed, clothes racks are placed at both inside and outside of the cage. Seen from a distance, they are like princess bubble skirts being well protected. The waving arc platform adds fun to the space and makes it lively and lovely. The fitting room is hidden skillfully inside the “bubble skirt” of curved mirror surface. Meanwhile, each fitting room area provides make-up area, rest area and selfie area, waiting for the visit of every princess.

© Shao Feng

© Shao Feng

OL Collection Area- dark grey floor, concrete art paint walls and frame track light make the whole space concise and reserved. Adding of fireplace and wood veneer has softened the texture of the space. While being decorative molding and multifunctional clothes hanger at the same time, every clothes rack is a perfect combination of form and function.

© Shao Feng

© Shao Feng

Fashionable Girl Collection Area – contrast of large blocks of colors. Colorful shelves are formed by folded iron bars. In this space that emphasizes individuality, folding angles before and after the rack are used to divide it into a structure which could hang clothes on both sides. And the weaving of colors and fold lines is used to build a colorful space with strong characteristics to echo with personalities of the clothes in this space.

© Shao Feng

© Shao Feng

The designer integrates the social and cultural connotation of the four types of women’s brand clothing. The dressing philosophy of women’s clothing is interpreted through using different techniques in designing the four spaces, and, a new shopping experience is created through multiple possibilities of display.

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